Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-12-23
FoREFATHERS' DAY.
HOW 1T WAS CELEBRATED IN MIDDLE
BURY.

OF the H1lgrlmS was celebrated at Jne
Congregational church on Wednesday
evening under the auspices of the Mid
dlebury Historical society. 1t was the
10Th successive commemoration of the
event here.
The exercises, which were we'll attend
ed, began at 6 80 o'clock with volun-
tary on the organ by Mrs. Miner and the
singing of Dudley Bucks anthem, SIN
thankful hymns by the choir, consist
ing of Mrs. Pitts, Miss Cady, Miss Car
rie Bond, Mr.. Thomas and Mr.. S. d.
Hopkins of Burlington. Then came the
invocation by Rev. DR.. O. II. White, who
also read selections of Scripture. Mrs.
Hemans' ode, "The breaking waves
dashed high" was sung by the choir and
audience. prayer was offered by Rev. T.
G. Thompson and the choir rendered an
anthem.
The address was made by Rev. G.. w.
Phillips, d. D., pastor of the Rutland Con-
gregational church. His subject was "Di-
NlllC L III
a celebrated preacher once said, he be-
gan, that every human life is plan of
God. Behind all the physical facts which
determine the destinies of nations is the
divine will. There is an innate tendency
in man to believe that other forces than
those apparent determine events. Nap
oleOn, even, was compelled to confess
that power greater than his own decid-
ed the issue of his battles. Providence
has place and call for all of us. To
find that place and obey that call is the
said with respect to individuals be true,
does it not apply with still greater force
to communities of individuals, or ma
tions? The theory of history now gen.
orally adopted is that of evolution-that
the tendency of events is to produce in
men the highest average of mortality and
intelligence, and that toward that goal
the world is progressing. History is
above annals, which are only the mate
rials of history. 1t is the business of the
historian to point out the action of moral
forces. When the popular heart is touched,
when ideas are at work, we are making
history. The only sound basis of history
is divine control of human affairs. We
Americans are inclined to be materialistic,
but our right treatment of the problems
now calling for solution demands the re-
cOgnition of the divine element in the
government of human affairs. Each pc
riod of our history has been preparation
for that which was to follow. 1t has
been series of surprises, which could
not have been foretold. The old theory
of government was that the citizen eX-
lists for the state; the contrary theory
was first formulated in this government
that the government exists for the citi-
zen. The speaker pointed out some of
the noteworthy facts in illustration of
his theme, mentioning, first, the provi-
dental concealment of this continent till
it was discovered by Columbus. Earlier
yoyagers had almost reached our shores.
Who can doubt but that the continent
was veiled till the seed-corn was ripe for
planting it with a Christian people? The
first act of the discoverers was to set up
the cross. But Columbus builded better
than he knew. The Protestant reforma-
ton was already under way. The result
of it was great awakening of thought.
which led to the action taken bv the
Pilgrims. He referred, secondly, to the
training which the planters of New Eng
land received for the task they had to do.
Those who are called by Providence to
do unusual work receive unusual training.
The nation has been assaulted from with
in and without. but who does not see a
Divine Providence in these facts. Prot
estantism established in the colonies the
movement for the formation of union,
and the final unification of the colonies.
a hasty sketch of the causes of the rev.
olution and the formation of the federal
government was here given. Our first
century, lately closed, was full of events
as momentous as any in human history.
First came the rise of the slave power.
Two civilizations grew up, one of which,
in attempting to crush out the govern
ment, was itself destroyed. As the slave
power grew strong it grew arrogant and
sought to extend its domain. Then came
the famous journey of the missionary
Whitman and the acquisition of the Pa
cific coast. When the crisis arrived there
was need of a competent leader, and God
gave us Lincoln. just such a man was
wanted to save the nation from dsmem-
berment One incident of the rebellion
is in point-the appearance of Ercsson's
monitor at critical moment. There
were other great problems to solve at
this juncture, but God raised up men
able successfully to deal with them.
In the light of the facts presented is not
the Divine hand eXhihitadS In oorI